The Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development revealed that on the first day of its launch, last Sunday, the National Program to Support Creators received 108 applications, including 86 from companies and 22 from independent creative individuals. The program, which aims to provide financial grants to independent individuals and startups, and entrepreneurs in the cultural and creative industries sector, continues to help them survive and overcome the difficulties caused by Covid 19; Receiving applications until May 25, which includes independent creators of citizens and residents in the country now, and small companies operating in the cultural and creative industries sector, provided that support is provided to companies and individuals who are most affected and most need to sustain creativity and avoid closing any creative companies.
The Ministry indicated to "Emirates Today" that obtaining support requires the availability of several conditions in individual applicants, the most prominent of which is that they are directly employed in the cultural and creative areas of knowledge, and those who hold commercial licenses as independent individuals from development departments or free zones, as it should He must not be a full-time employee for a salary in any other agency, and that most of his income be dependent on independent employment contracts, provided that he is not less than 18 years old, and that he is a resident of the Emirates.
While the selection of individuals receiving support depends on evaluation criteria, the most important of which are: the size of the loss of income as a result of the cancellation of contracts or works between March and April and May, the cash flow for the period (from May to July), and efforts to sustain the business during the current period , Along with the history of business in the country for the year 2019.
Participation and appraisal standards for companies and in relation to company participation The Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development indicated that there are several criteria, the most important of which are that they are from companies operating directly in the cultural and creative fields, and carry commercial licenses from development departments or free zones, and that they have started formal work before 2019, and that the number of their employees be less than 10 employees . The evaluation of companies ’requests is to be based on criteria: the amount of loss in income as a result of cancellation of contracts or works between March and April and May, cash flow for the period (March to September), efforts made, and decisions taken so far by Senior management of business sustainability (rationalization of expenditures, use of reserves, etc.), as well as the history of the company's business in the country for the year 2019.
National responsibility
The Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, Noura Bint Muhammad Al-Kaabi, invited pastoralists and art and culture enthusiasts to contribute to the national program to support creators as a national responsibility that requires from different segments of society their support in these critical circumstances, to ensure the sustainability of their giving to our society and our country, so creators have a positive impact on our lives on a daily basis. And they make change and instill hope in society, stressing the importance of the creative economy of the Emirates, which is considered the most powerful and prosperous in the region. She added: «We have tens of creative groups that include thousands of local and foreign companies, and our role is to maintain the competitiveness of our creative economy, provide a support program and a set of policies and initiatives that encourage creative entrepreneurship, and draw lessons and lessons from current challenges, to formulate legislation that strengthens our system for the post-Koved phase -19, and we make the current crisis a catalyst and support towards increasing the durability and immunity of our creative sector in a way that contributes to our country's acquisition of a large share of the creative economy market globally ».
Requirements for individuals and companies
To participate in the program, the Ministry has established justifications and requirements for individuals and companies. For individuals, they must provide a copy of the work permit (for independents), a copy of a personal ID, a copy of a passport with residency for residents, and bank statements in the country (6 months), along with copies of Canceled contracts / business / agreements that affected the income loss for March, April, and May, as well as copies of the financial commitment contracts for the applicant in May, June, and July.
In return, companies wishing to apply to the program are obligated to provide a copy of the company’s commercial license, a copy of the identity of the company’s legal representative, and bank statements in the country (6 months), in addition to the monthly cash flow from 1 March to 30 September, indicating the opening and final balance Per month (excel file). It must also provide copies of contracts, financial obligations or major expenses of the company mentioned in the cash flow, evidence of canceled contracts or agreements from March to June, with pledges of correctness of the data, and authorization to view the credit history of the company.